An amateur gardener took to the subreddit r/CaliforniaNativePlant to ask the online community for advice on their planned landscaping.
In the post titled "Tell me if I'm making a mistake," they explain they are planning on laying down mulch before planting a bunch of native plants, including rockrose and Carex pansa. They said: "I bought landscape fabric to put down first. But now I'm thinking if I return that I can buy more plants …"
The poster wanted to know what the online community thought.
As the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explains, landscaping fabric comes with many pitfalls. First and foremost, it doesn't work very well. Frustrated homeowners might find they spend a bunch of money on fabric that ultimately doesn't even work. Weeds often grow through or around landscaping fabric, which creates an even bigger headache when you try to deal with that mess.
It also damages the soil underneath, preventing nutrients and water from keeping the dirt healthy. It often leeches harmful chemicals into the soil, further damaging it and preventing healthy plant growth.
On the other hand, installing a native plant lawn comes with a wide variety of benefits that are both financial and environmental. For instance, native plants do not require tons of water, which is not only great for conservation but also saves you money on your monthly bills. They also don't require costly, time-consuming maintenance.
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Native plants also naturally attract pollinators. Pollinators are the small birds and insects that keep ecosystems thriving. They are also essential to our food chain. It is estimated that pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we take.
There are many attractive options when considering installing a native plant lawn. Buffalo grass, clover, or xeriscaping are just a few possible options. And incredibly, even a partial lawn replacement can provide homeowners with these massive benefits.
Commenters on the original post were adamantly against landscaping fabric.
One said, "That landscape fabric is less than useless." Another had a dire prediction for the future: "Do not use weed barrier. You will regret it in two years when you have weeds anyways and they are difficult to pull."
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